It's a jury-selection process that has not been used in nearly two decades in Kent County Circuit Court: Potential jurors are taken one-by-one to a room away from the public where they are asked about what, if anything, they have absorbed from the local media regarding last July's death of Grand Rapids Police Officer Robert Kozminski.

After one day of questioning potential jurors, the answer from the majority of them was they remember very little from numerous news reports of the incident in which Kozminski was killed by a single gunshot to the head as he stood outside VanVels' Northeast Side home, responding to a domestic disturbance call.

A jury pick for a trial is a process that typically takes a few hours. But the elongated pick for VanVels' case could last into Wednesday, with testimony slated to begin on Thursday. Even after potential jurors are questioned about their knowledge of the case, they still have to undergo the standard voir dire in which they are asked about their views about lawyers, police and the judicial process, among other issues

Nevertheless, those involved believe this person-by-person questioning is the right way to go.

"It's tedious and it's frankly pretty boring, but it is a necessary process to go through," said Kent County Circuit Judge George Buth, who is presiding over the trial.

The issue of pretrial publicity was raised weeks ago by VanVels' defense attorney, Patrick Lannen, who originally said it justified a change of venue. But that idea was rejected by Buth and was opposed by Kent County Prosecutor William Forsyth, who filed a brief saying the impact of media reporting would not be memorable enough to make finding an impartial jury impossible.

"I think in this case, this is for the best," said Lannen, who did most of the questioning of potential jurors in the jury room near the judge's chamber Monday, outside the presence of the public.

According to preliminary transcripts, Lannen pressed potential jurors about what they had heard on TV or read in the newspaper, and whether they had formed an opinion. Those in the pool mostly said they could remember hearing vaguely of the police officer's death. One juror said she believed the officer was an older man -- although he was 29. Another person said she knew only of the fundraisers held for Kozminski's daughter.

None of the jurors were dismissed by Buth due to their media exposure, and Lannen said that while media influence may have played a part in his decision to excuse some of the nine potential jurors, it was not the only factor in any one case.

"This is my 22nd year (as a judge), and I've never done this," Buth said.

The last time this system was used was in the 1991 murder trial of Albert Lee III, who was retried after his previous conviction was overturned in the 1979 murder of 11-year-old Linda Vanderveen. Lee was found guilty and remains in prison in Ionia.

After one morning of jury pick in the VanVels' trial, only five jurors had been selected to go on to the standard voir dire, according to Buth. He said there is a pool of 60 people the lawyers can go through, and it is possible more could be brought in if there are not 14 jurors selected from within that group.

For those in this jury pool, the selection process is an even more tedious experience than usual. They have to wait their turn to go into the isolation chamber with the lawyers, judge, court reporter and defendant.

On Monday, some chatted while others sat silently. Court workers supplied them with a well-aged selection of Reader's Digests and other magazines. Their test of resolve was to continue at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.